For It Is I Who Gave This Heart
by Conjuring Rain
Summary: So they will sit there until they expire, until they perish and become no more. At least they have each other. Their togetherness will push all the loneliness away.


**Note: **This doesn't make much sense.**  
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**For it is I Who Gave This Heart**

Knuckles the Echidna is guarding the Master Emerald as usual. He just sat there in front of it, gazing off into the distant with tired eyes. He had just finished eating lunch thirty minutes ago. His lunch had consisted of bread, grapes, and apples. It wasn't very filling, but his hunger always went away.

Knuckles let a soft sigh escape his mouth and he sat up a little, glancing back at the Master Emerald. Then he got comfortable and just stared straight ahead again.

He never got bored.

He loved guarding the Master Emerald.

Plus, it was nice and quiet. He could just relax and guard the Master Emerald with no distractions or anything.

However, he had to be wary of Rouge the Bat or anything else that might want to steal or destroy the Master Emerald.

Rouge constantly came, teasing him and whatnot, trying to steal the Master Emerald. It made Knuckles incredibly angry and they always ended up fighting and beating each other's brains in.

He sighed.

However, she didn't come today, which was great! He couldn't stand her _at all_.

Knuckles was about to take a nap, but, suddenly, out of the blue, the Master Emerald started shining brightly.

The red echidna jumped to his feet, spinning around rapidly to gaze at the large emerald before him.

"What's…going on?" He mutters.

When the light died down, a female echidna stood in front of the Master Emerald, gazing at Knuckles fondly.

Knuckles became extremely shocked and a huge amount of perplexity entered his mind.

"_Tikal_?" He commented finally, after a very long moment.

The female echidna's, Tikal's, smile widened and she suddenly pulled Knuckles into a soft hug.

A baffled look started crawling along Knuckles' face and his cheeks became a pinkish color.

"But how…what…?" Knuckles couldn't find the right words to describe how lost he is.

"You are confused, I know," Tikal says, pulling away from him and giving him that same smile. "I am a bit confused myself, but I understand some of this. Would you like me to explain?"

Knuckles slowly nodded, unsure of what to say.

Tikal gave a short nod and sighed heavily. "Alright. Well, I have been watching you from the Master Emerald along with Chaos…"

"That's impossible-

"I know," Tikal interrupted him. "I know it is. However, it is true. Even though I was currently in the past, I was still able to watch you from the Master Emerald in my time."

"That's still impossible-

"Hush!" Tikal tells him in her beautiful voice, a frown written on her face. "As I was saying before, I have been watching you for a very long time, Knuckles. You seemed so lonely…"

"I'm perfectly-

"Hush up!" Tikal snapped, her voice harmoniously harsh.

Knuckles closed his mouth and stopped it from running.

Tikal calmed down and continued, "You seemed so lonely, Knuckles. I became…very fond of you, very fond. I wished to be by your side. Every day I wished that. And then, out of the mysterious blue, I appear here. It is all thanks to the Master Emerald." She finished.

Knuckles sighed, not sure if he believed any of this.

"I know it may seem impossible, Knuckles," Tikal began again, stepping close to him and gently wrapping her arms around him in a wonderful hug, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "But it really is true. If it isn't true, then I wouldn't be here right now…with you."

Knuckles' cheeks turned a pinkish color for the second time and he blinked a few times, contemplating.

_Does…Tikal like me or something? Nah….that's ridiculous._ He thought, slowly inhaling Tikal's natural and beautiful scent. _She sure does smell good…_

Tikal finally pulled away from Knuckles, smiling at him again. "So I will sit here and guard the Master Emerald with you until we expire." She decided, finality lacing her tone. There is also kindness in her voice as well.

Knuckles didn't know what to think or how to feel about this.

Tikal took his hand in hers, sitting down in front of the Master Emerald, pulling the red echidna down with her, to sit beside her.

"We will sit here together and guard the Master Emerald…until we pass on."

Knuckles still didn't say anything, but was starting to like this idea.

_It can't be that bad._ He contemplated.


End file.
